Benton Lynch

IV Form
blynch.23@pomfret.org

May 21, 2021

Dear Dean's Office,

Over the course of the past year, every student and faculty member
has become more in touch with their mental health, as we have faced more
isolation, feeling of loneliness, and anxiety of the unknown due to the current
state of our world. As we grow with our own awareness of our mental health, I
believe that Pomfret needs to grow with it. Pomfret is a place that values
community and development, which is why it is imperative that it grows to
become as accommodating as it can be to the mental health of its students.
Especially in a boarding school setting, common disorders such as depression,
anxiety, and bipolar disorder can often cause feelings of isolation that are even
more intense. This is why making students' mental health needs to become a
priority in all aspects of Pomfret life. This is why I propose that our community
adapt to satisfy students' mental health needs through these suggestions.

First of all, Pomfret should implement a QUEST day to educate

students on mental health. Educating students about the signs that someone
may be having a mental health crisis can help our community feel more
supported and may possibly save someone's life. Getting students to
understand their own mental health so that they can recognize when they
need to talk to someone or ask for support is also important. Having a QUEST
day dedicated to mental health would also help promote the idea that Pomfret
is a stigma-free community where students and faculty will not be judged if
they need help. Finally, laying out the options provided to Pomfret students will
make it easier for them to access these resources and will make them feel
more comfortable.

Next, Providing training to staff, dorm parents, and Prefects about

seeing the signs of a mental health disorder or crisis and how to handle it. This
is critical when it comes to communicating with kids and assisting them in
receiving the help they need. If someone sees that something about a student
has changed, whether it's a shift in energy level or a withdrawal from particular
activities, being able to recognize these signs will assist in stopping the
problem before it becomes more serious. Being able to recognize these
indications has a high probability of saving someone's life, preventing
self-harm, or causing injury to another person.
 Another useful system that Pomfret should implicate are frequent
advisor to student mental health check-ins. Incorporating a system where an
advisor can ask a student a series of questions about their mental health in a
private setting will help students feel more capable to open up to their
advisors about how they are feeling, and if they need help. This will also build
a sense of normalcy for talking about their mental health with their advisors so
that if problems emerge in the future, they will be able to trust going to their
advisor to tell them what they are going through, because they have already
been having these check-ins with them, and the topic of mental health is not
new in their relationship.

Lastly, it is important that Pomfret starts giving students with diagnosed

mental health disorders the ability to go to the Health Center if their symptoms
become overwhelming. Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are all
disorders that are diagnosed. The Health Center should value them as such.
These mental health issues can significantly impair a student's ability to do
homework and participate in class. Pomfret would not expect a student with
the flu to attend class, so someone suffering from overwhelming symptoms as
a result of a mental health issue should be handled similarly. This will also have
a beneficial influence since it will make students who are struggling with their
mental health feel accepted in the Pomfret community and that they don't
have to cope with their problems alone, and that it's okay not to be okay.

To conclude, these changes would lead Pomfret to become more

inclusive and show students that their mental health is not a burden to them or
the community. Fostering a stigma-free environment for students, with evident
resources for them to use if they need will benefit the way which Pomfret
operates and create a happier and healthier community. I hope that this can
help get the ball rolling to help create conditions at Pomfret that are even
more accommodating to students' mental health than before.

Sincerely,

Benton Lynch